Food in England

[Liv'poolFaninAZ]

I just wanted to know if one could get Mexican food in England, I know that there are alot of other choices, like Turk food and Spanish, Italian and various other European ethnic foods, but I know that for myself ever since I moved to the southwestern U.S. I've become addicted to Mexican food and was just curious as to how far one must go in England to get some authentic Tacos. I also read and hear a lot about British people going out for kebabs, they seem to be real big there, have kebabs become the new comfort food there? or are Fish and Chips still the staple? Thanks

[liverbird]

I just wanted to know if one could get Mexican food in England, I know that there are alot of other choices, like Turk food and Spanish, Italian and various other European ethnic foods, but I know that for myself ever since I moved to the southwestern U.S. I've become addicted to Mexican food and was just curious as to how far one must go in England to get some authentic Tacos. I also read and hear a lot about British people going out for kebabs, they seem to be real big there, have kebabs become the new comfort food there? or are Fish and Chips still the staple? Thanks

Indian food generally sits in the niche that Chinese and Mexican do in the States. But perhaps some real Brits could answer.

[usscouse]

Indian food generally sits in the niche that Chinese and Mexican do in the States. But perhaps some real Brits could answer.
I've heard of Americans who go over and won't eat anywhere but Micky Dees but mexican food...! Do you really travel to another country for Tex Mex comfort food? Do you carry your own toilet paper?............:D :D

Reminded me of a guy I worked with in LA. He came back from England pissed at me because he couldn't get a margarita....in a pub.

Innocents abroard.

[USvsIRELAND]

Indian food=brilliant.

[USvsIRELAND]

The chinese and indian food is better in England than here IMO.

[655321]

I was in the South Kensington area in 1997 and stayed in a hotel that was right next door to what claimed to be "London's only Tex-Mex restaurant". My wife totally refused to let me go in there, but I really wanted to see what their take on it would be.

[usscouse]

I'm sorry and don't mean to be rude but to base a trip to a foreign country on whether you can get a certain comfort food leaves me feeling a tad incredulous.

I've just come back from China and some of the towns I visited didn't have anything in English at all, nothing! People would stop and stare as we walked by we were so different. We were looking for lunch one day, the blood sugar was definitely getting low. We even went into a cafe and didn't see anything we recognized and had to go outside again to talk it over. (We didn't want to order cold pigs intestines in error!!) Just as we got out a voice said "Hello how are you?" you do hear this a bit over there, people want to practice but that's all they know. But this guy was a teacher who'd had some college English. So after chatting for a moment, we invited him for lunch...brilliant!
Had some of the best garlic shrimp ever. The chicken dish, was chicken...all of it..feet, head complete with beak and cocks comb, all of it. We dodged those parts but the rest was excellent.
Yao! (True) still emails.

To imagine missing out on a trip like that because I couldn't I couldn't get a "Freekin'" Taco leaves me stunned.

[AndSomeAreAngels]

just curious as to how far one must go in England to get some authentic Tacos.
Probably a couple thousand miles. To Mexico.

I was in the South Kensington area in 1997 and stayed in a hotel that was right next door to what claimed to be "London's only Tex-Mex restaurant". My wife totally refused to let me go in there, but I really wanted to see what their take on it would be.
Sounds to me like you married a good woman. I shudder at the thought of English Tex-Mex.

I once tried a Mexican restaurant in Finland, due mainly to the sheer novelty of it (and b/c my Finnish friends swore it was great), and boy was that a mistake.

Certain countries can do other ethnic foods really well (curries in England, Asian food in Australia, Mexican food in the U.S., etc), but it's always best to stick to the local cuisine.

[Motterman]

The chinese and indian food is better in England than here IMO.
Agreed. My father and I had some superb Indian food in London a few years ago, and the Chinese food we had in Manchester was awesomely good too.

[655321]

Sounds to me like you married a good woman. I shudder at the thought of English Tex-Mex.

Oh, I wasn't thinking it would be any good, I was just curious.

[liverbird]

On my last trip I lived on Indian and pub grub. That's what you eat. Had great Indian food in London, Liverpool and Manchester. Also had a really good steak pie in London and excellent fish and chips in Liverpool. But I avoided all other ethnic food and any kind of upscale restaurant -- with the exchange rate it would be too damn pricy for something I could get cheaper and better here. Heck, the steak pie was 8 pounds. Sounded good until I did the math --
8 times 1.74 =$13.92 for lunch before the $3 small coke or $5 pint.

[white riot]

The problem that you have is that whatever you eat will be a dissapointment compared to what you're used to in the States because of inferior ingredients it will also be grossly expensive and the portions will be infinitely smaller than what you'd get at home, if you order a steak order the most expensive cut it will still be as tough as shoe leather compared to US beef but believe me it will be better than the jaw ache that chewing the cheaper cuts will give you.

Avoid doner kebabs at all costs, they're what we eat when we're pissed very few people eat them sober if you must have a kebab have a chicken one and you may live to tell the tale.

If you want fish and chips you should find one with a queue at about 5pm that's usually a good sign, always cover them in vinegar.

You may find a few Mexican places, depends where you go, and every pub will serve "chilli" but again you're going to be disappointed, do not entertain the thought of eating in a pub which has a sign outside saying something like Brewers Fayre or a menu called something like "Hungry Horse", these are chain pubs and they're shite, read local papers and ask for recommendations for good eating pubs but again expect extortionately priced American "kids" sized portions although the quality maybe ok.

If you're lucky you may develop a taste for curry, you can eat it everyday as all the food groups are represented and there are about 10 million curry houses in England, we like curry, start by ordering a simple chicken curry or if you like it a bit spicy a chicken Madras, for a laugh order a chicken Phall for the wife and kids and never forget to say loudly, "of course they'd never dream of eating food like this in India" before setting light to the paper tablecloth and running out without paying, it's traditional.

Anyway good luck and keep to the path, stay off of the moors.

[AndSomeAreAngels]

To imagine missing out on a trip like that because I couldn't I couldn't get a "Freekin'" Taco leaves me stunned.
Just curious...where in the original post did he say he wasn't going to go on a trip to England if he couldn't get a taco?

[quentinc]

I'm sorry and don't mean to be rude but to base a trip to a foreign country on whether you can get a certain comfort food leaves me feeling a tad incredulous.

I've just come back from China and some of the towns I visited didn't have anything in English at all, nothing! People would stop and stare as we walked by we were so different. We were looking for lunch one day, the blood sugar was definitely getting low. We even went into a cafe and didn't see anything we recognized and had to go outside again to talk it over. (We didn't want to order cold pigs intestines in error!!) Just as we got out a voice said "Hello how are you?" you do hear this a bit over there, people want to practice but that's all they know. But this guy was a teacher who'd had some college English. So after chatting for a moment, we invited him for lunch...brilliant!
Had some of the best garlic shrimp ever. The chicken dish, was chicken...all of it..feet, head complete with beak and cocks comb, all of it. We dodged those parts but the rest was excellent.
Yao! (True) still emails.

To imagine missing out on a trip like that because I couldn't I couldn't get a "Freekin'" Taco leaves me stunned.
Also, a trip to England is slightly different than visiting a country that has a distinct culinary style, such as China; in that case, it would be xenophobic to go looking for Tex-Mex. However, England is notorious for some of the world's worst food, so you can't really fault someone for wondering if there's a proliferation of a certain type of ethnic food in a country that is hardly known for its food.

[Liv'poolFaninAZ]

I just wanted to know if one could get Mexican food in England, I know that there are alot of other choices, like Turk food and Spanish, Italian and various other European ethnic foods, but I know that for myself ever since I moved to the southwestern U.S. I've become addicted to Mexican food and was just curious as to how far one must go in England to get some authentic Tacos. I also read and hear a lot about British people going out for kebabs, they seem to be real big there, have kebabs become the new comfort food there? or are Fish and Chips still the staple? Thanks


I had to quote myself because I don't remember saying that I wouldn't go to England if they didn't have tacos, I just wanted to know about what the everyday people like to eat there. Just because I'm American you don't need to blindly categorize me with the rednecks that currently represent America, I am a well-traveled person, I've lived in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Okinawa, Phillipines, HawaII, Puerto Rico and New York as well as California. I don't eat at Mcdonalds even in the U.S. I didn't know I would be judged for asking about food, I get plenty judged by people here because I support Liverpool and I call "Soccer" by it's real name "Football". I just wanted to know about tacos in Europe that's all.

[USvsIRELAND]

On my last trip I lived on Indian and pub grub. That's what you eat. Had great Indian food in London, Liverpool and Manchester. Also had a really good steak pie in London and excellent fish and chips in Liverpool. But I avoided all other ethnic food and any kind of upscale restaurant -- with the exchange rate it would be too damn pricy for something I could get cheaper and better here. Heck, the steak pie was 8 pounds. Sounded good until I did the math --
8 times 1.74 =$13.92 for lunch before the $3 small coke or $5 pint.
I get so fat when I go to England. I came back from my trip and had team preseason camp, and OH MAN I was dying.......:D

[usscouse]

I had to quote myself because I don't remember saying that I wouldn't go to England if they didn't have tacos, I just wanted to know about what the everyday people like to eat there. Just because I'm American you don't need to blindly categorize me with the rednecks that currently represent America, I am a well-traveled person, I've lived in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Okinawa, Phillipines, HawaII, Puerto Rico and New York as well as California. I don't eat at Mcdonalds even in the U.S. I didn't know I would be judged for asking about food, I get plenty judged by people here because I support Liverpool and I call "Soccer" by it's real name "Football". I just wanted to know about tacos in Europe that's all.
You're correct and I apologise, you didn't say that at all. I just read it that way! :rolleyes: I didn't mean to sound so strongly negative about it. Or to sound anti American...gawd knows I've married two of them. My Oregon wife of some 28 years and I travel as much as we can in as many places that don't have a Hilton or McDonalds. But we've met those people.:)

[usscouse]

Also, a trip to England is slightly different than visiting a country that has a distinct culinary style, such as China; in that case, it would be xenophobic to go looking for Tex-Mex. However, England is notorious for some of the world's worst food, so you can't really fault someone for wondering if there's a proliferation of a certain type of ethnic food in a country that is hardly known for its food."However, England is notorious for some of the world's worst food>" Have you read what others on this thread say about the food in England?

Mind you when I left, it sucked....:)

Dist (I can call you dist can't I. I feel like I know you.) You're obviously a smart young man and you'll go far but basing assumptions on what you've heard and not seen (or tasted) for yourself is a mistake. I'm sure some day soon you'll get to travel a lot and find out for yourself.

It's nice that you jump in as defender of one of 'ours' but if you don't like what I say........ Just ********in' say so.....!
Your diatribe makes you sound like a pompous prig......:D :D

[Twenty26Six]

I'm still quite curious to see if "Meat Pies" in England are a lot like "Pot Pies" in the US. I love me some Pot Pies.

http://images.ibsys.com/2002/0923/1682129_200X150.jpg

[liverbird]

I'm still quite curious to see if "Meat Pies" in England are a lot like "Pot Pies" in the US. I love me some Pot Pies.

http://images.ibsys.com/2002/0923/1682129_200X150.jpg

Same basic deal. At football grounds the pies are small and hand held with mystery fillings. There is a scouse pie available at Anfield. You can get a chicken balti pie which is essentially a chicken curry pie. Steak pie. etc.